January 20th, Exodus 10-12

Now the plagues are intensifying; God is going to strike the final blow against Egypt. Pay close attention- this story foreshadows the gospels in many ways, and much of the language we use to talk about Jesus and salvation originates in today’s readings.

10:3-6; The last plague left Egypt’s food crop intact, the next one won’t

10:7; even Pharaoh’s advisors are on God’s side now

10:10; Pharaoh is so prideful that he just can’t bring himself to let God win- he has to try and alter the deal so it won’t look like a total loss for him.

10:17; Pharaoh seems to be forgetting a whole lot of his own sins

10:21; God has shifted from first warning Pharaoh about the plagues to simply sending the plagues, not a good sign

11- this is serious stuff. It’s clear that God tried everything he could to avoid sending this plague, but Pharaoh left him no choice.

12:3-8; this is why we call Jesus “the Lamb of God”. Like the Passover Lamb, he was sacrificed to save us.

12:13; this is why we reference “the blood of Christ”, because Christ is our version of the Passover Lamb. The Lamb’s blood on the door signaled that God’s people lived in that house, Christ’s blood on us (metaphorically) signals that we are God’s people.

12:14- Jews still celebrate Passover today, it’s one of the most ancient religious traditions in the world